Automated bootstrap quad-mast rig

ABSTRACT

A method that includes vertically assembling a mast having a height greater than one hundred eighty feet; securing the mast to a rig floor of a land-based drilling rig; securing a racking board adjacent the mast at a height greater than one hundred feet above the rig floor; drilling a wellbore under the rig floor with a drill string; lifting with lifting equipment coupled to the drilling mast, a stand forming a part of the drill string and having a stand length greater than one hundred feet, from a drilling position partially within the wellbore and partially above the rig floor to an in-line position above the wellbore and proximate the racking board; removing the stand from the drill string; and moving the stand, using an automated pipe handling tool, from the in-line position to a racked position so that the stand is accommodated within the racking board.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates in general to drilling rigs, and in particular to an automated bootstrap quad-mast rig.

Drilling operations often require intermittent removal of a drill string from a wellbore in a process sometimes referred to as “tripping out”. This occurs, for example, when a drill bit needs to be exchanged. During this time, rotation of the drill string and circulation of drilling fluids are typically suspended. The drill string is then lifted by lifting equipment attached to a mast located above the wellbore and broken down into stands of pipe. Generally, a stand of pipe includes two or three individual sections of pipe. As the stands of pipe are removed from the drill string, each is accommodated within a racking board that is attached to the mast. Generally, a derrick man that is located on the racking board guides each stand of pipe into a storage position on the racking board. “Tripping in” is the process of reassembling the drill string after the drill bit is replaced and is very similar to tripping out, except that the steps are reversed. The suspension of drilling operations and accompanying mud circulation while tripping in or tripping out can damage the condition of the wellbore. Additionally, any delay to the drilling operations delays the progress of the well. Moreover, relying on the derrick man to aid in the tripping out and tripping in can result in additional personnel costs and safety risks. Therefore, any reduction of time required for tripping in and tripping out could prevent the condition of the wellbore from deteriorating and increase well progress. Removing the use of personnel on the racking board could also reduce any associated personnel costs and safety risks.

The present disclosure is directed to an automated bootstrap quad-mast rig and methods that overcome one or more of the shortcomings in the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.

FIG. 1 is side view of an apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram of at least a portion of a method according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. Moreover, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed interposing the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.

This disclosure is directed to an apparatus that may form all or a part of a land-based drilling rig capable of high capacity or high efficiency drilling operations. The drilling rig includes a mast and racking board configuration, along with an automated pipe-handling tool, specially configured to accommodate tubular stands formed of four or more lengths of drill pipe. Because of the extra-long stands, the drill string requires fewer connections between stands than prior shorter stands, while still achieving the same drill string length. Accordingly, make-up and break-down of the tubular string while tripping in or tripping out is more efficient, saving time and reducing drilling costs. In addition, the automated pipe-handling tool for handling the long stands on the land-based drilling rig further increases the efficiency of the drilling operation.

Referring to FIG. 1, illustrated is an elevational view of apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 may form a part of or may be an entire land-based drilling rig 15. In one embodiment, the drilling rig 15 includes a platform 20 with a platform floor or a rig floor 25. The platform 20 is positioned above a wellbore 35, which can be an existing wellbore or a planned wellbore.

The apparatus 10 also includes a mast 40 supporting lifting equipment 41 above the rig floor 25. In an exemplary embodiment, the mast 40 is a bootstrap mast that is vertically assembled. The mast 40 includes a top section 42, an upper intermediate section 43, an upper middle intermediate section 44, a lower middle intermediate section 45, a lower intermediate section 46, and a bottom section 47. In an exemplary embodiment, the upper intermediate section 43, the upper middle intermediate section 44, the lower middle intermediate section 45, and the lower intermediate section 46 are each between thirty feet and thirty-seven feet in length. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the intermediate sections 43-46 are approximately thirty-four feet in length. In an exemplary embodiment, the upper intermediate section 43 has a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the top section 42, the middle intermediate section 44 has a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the upper intermediate section 43, the lower middle intermediate section 45 has a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the middle intermediate section 44, the lower intermediate section 46 has a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the lower middle intermediate section 45, and the bottom section 47 has a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the lower intermediate section 46. In an exemplary embodiment, the bottom section 47 has a support landing 48 that is configured to support each of the top section 42 and the intermediate sections 43-46, individually or any combination thereof.

The lifting equipment 41 includes a crown block 49 and a traveling block 50. The crown block 49 is coupled to the top section 42 of the mast 40, and the traveling block 50 hangs from the crown block 49 by a drilling line 55. One end of the drilling line 55 extends from the lifting gear to draw works 60, which is configured to reel out and reel in the drilling line 55 to cause the traveling block 50 to be lowered and raised relative to the rig floor 25. The other end of the drilling line 55, known as a dead line anchor, is anchored to a fixed position, possibly near the draw works 60 or elsewhere on the drilling rig 15. A hook 65 is attached to the bottom of the traveling block 50. A top drive 70 is suspended from the hook 65. A quill 75 extending from the top drive 70 is attached to a saver sub 76, which is configured to attach to a drill string 80 suspended above and extending within the wellbore 35. Alternatively or in addition, hydraulic elevators (not shown) are attached to the traveling block 50 using bails (not shown) that may be used to raise and lower the drill string 80. A racking board 85, or a monkey board is attached to the middle intermediate section 44. In an exemplary embodiment, the racking board 85 is at a location adjacent the mast 40 at a height greater than one hundred feet above the rig floor 25. An automatic stand transfer vehicle 86 is also attached to the racking board 85. It should be understood that other conventional techniques for arranging a rig do not require a drilling line, and these are included in the scope of this disclosure.

In an exemplary embodiment, the racking board 85 accommodates pipe sections, or stands 95, that are vertically disposed and arranged in a quad configuration. That is, each of the stands 95 include a first section of pipe 96 having a top portion that is accommodated within the racking board 85; a second section of pipe 97 having a top portion threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the first section of pipe 96; a third section of pipe 98 having a top portion threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the second section of pipe 97; and a fourth section of pipe 99 having a top portion threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the third section of pipe 98. In an exemplary embodiment, a bottom portion of the fourth section of pipe 99 is configured to threadably engage the drill string 80 or rest on the drill floor 25. In an exemplary embodiment, each section of pipe 96-99 has a length greater than thirty feet. In an exemplary embodiment, each section of pipe 96-99 has a length within the range of 30-36 feet, and in an exemplary embodiment, each section of pipe has a length of approximately 34 feet.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the racking board 85 in greater detail. In an exemplary embodiment and as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 (stands 95 have been omitted from FIG. 3), the racking board 85 includes a floor 100 and a cantilever beam 101 extending perpendicular to the mast 40 (shown in FIG. 1). Arms 102 extend from the cantilever beam 101 to form channels 103 that accommodate the stands 95. The stands 95 enter and exit each of the channels 103 via channel openings 104. The automatic stand transfer vehicle 86 includes a track 105 that is adjacent the channel openings 104 and extends parallel to the cantilever beam 101. A bearing plate 106 is coupled to the track 105 and is slidable in a first direction and an opposing second direction along the track 105. The bearing plate 106 is also rotatable about the longitudinal axis 107 of the bearing plate 106 in a third direction and an opposing fourth direction. The automatic stand transfer vehicle 86 also includes a scissor arm, or an extendable arm 108, that is mounted to the bearing plate 106 so that the extendable arm 108 is slidable in the first direction and the opposing second direction and is rotatable in the third direction and the opposing fourth direction. In an exemplary embodiment, the extendable arm 108 extends in a fifth direction that is a radial direction relative to the bearing plate 106 and retracts in an opposing sixth direction relative to the bearing plate 106. In an exemplary embodiment, the automatic stand transfer vehicle 86 also includes a hand 109 extending from the extendable arm 108. The hand 109 is configured to close and open, thereby securing the stand 95 and releasing the stand 95. In an exemplary embodiment, the hand 109 closes about an exterior surface of the stand 95 to engage the stand 95. In an exemplary embodiment, a controller 110 (shown in FIG. 1) is operably coupled to the automatic stand transfer vehicle 86 to control the movement of the automatic stand transfer vehicle 86. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 110 is located at or near the rig floor 25. In an exemplary embodiment, the movement of the stand 95 is controlled remotely from the rig floor 25 using the controller 110.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, with continuing reference to FIGS. 1-3, a method of operating the apparatus 10 is generally referred to by the reference numeral 200.

At step 205, the bootstrap mast 40 is assembled vertically. In an exemplary embodiment, a bottom portion of the bottom section 47 is coupled to the rig floor so that the bottom section 47 is in a vertical orientation. The top section 42 is lifted by an overhead support, such as a crane, to rest on the support landing 48 of the bottom section 47. The support landing 48 supports the top section 42 while the top portion of the upper intermediate section 43 is coupled to the bottom portion of the top section 42. The top section 42 and the upper intermediate section 43 are then raised by the crane, so that the upper intermediate section 43 rests on the support landing 48. While the support landing 48 supports the top section 42 and the upper intermediate section 43, the top portion of the upper middle intermediate section 44 is coupled to the bottom portion of the upper intermediate section 43. This process of lifting, attaching, and lifting continues until all of the sections 42-47 are coupled together and secured in a vertical orientation. However, other types of vertically assembly of the bootstrap mast 40 are contemplated. In an exemplary embodiment, the mast 40 has an assembled height greater than one hundred eighty feet.

At step 210, the drill string 80 is lowered within the wellbore 35. This may be done while performing drilling operations.

At step 215, the stand 95 is lifted, using the lifting equipment 41 coupled to the mast 40, to a drilling position. In an exemplary embodiment, the stand 95 has a length greater than one hundred twenty feet. In an exemplary embodiment, the stand 95 has a length greater than one hundred feet. Due to the length of the stand 95, the top portion of the first pipe 96 extends above the rig floor 25 even as the lower portion of the fourth pipe 99 extends within the wellbore 35 while in the drilling position. In an exemplary embodiment, the stand 95 is lifted to the drilling position when the drill string 80 must be removed from the wellbore 35 (while “tripping out”). Tripping out may be required when the drill bit 105 is exchanged or replaced. In an exemplary embodiment, the mast 40 is configured to accommodate the stand 95 while in the drilling position. That is, the top portion of the first pipe 96 is accommodated within the mast 40 while the bottom portion of the fourth pipe 99 extends within the wellbore 35.

At step 220, the stand 95 is removed from the drill string 80 while in an in-line position. The in-line position is a position in which the stand 95 is in-line with the drill string 80 and positioned above the wellbore 35 while proximate the racking board 85. In an exemplary embodiment, the stand 95 is lifted further, using the lifting equipment 41, so that the lower portion of the pipe section 99 is near the rig floor 25 while in the in-line position. In an exemplary embodiment, the stand 96 includes the pipe sections 96-99. The lower portion of the pipe section 99 is disengaged from the drill string 80 while in the in-line position to remove the stand 95 from the drill string 80. In an exemplary embodiment, the top portion of the pipe section 96 is proximate the racking board 85 and the lower portion of the pipe section 99 is proximate the rig floor 25.

At step 225, the stand 95 is moved from the in-line position to a racked position using the automatic stand transfer vehicle 86. The racked position is when the stand 95 is accommodated within the racking board 85. In an exemplary embodiment and while the stand 95 is in the in-line position, the extendable arm 108 extends the hand 109 radially in the fifth direction towards the mast 40 and the stand 95. The hand 109 closes about an exterior surface of the top portion of the pipe section 96 to engage the stand 95 with the automatic stand transfer vehicle 86. Once engaged with the stand 95, the hand 109 and retractable arm 108 can guide and move the stand 95 in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth directions. For example, the hand 109 and the stand 95 can be retracted in the sixth direction away from the mast 40. The retractable arm 108 and the stand 95 moves along the track 105 in the first or second direction to align the stand 95 with one of the channel openings 104. Additionally, the extendable arm 108 and the stand 95 moves in the third or fourth direction so that the hand 109 and the stand 95 are aligned with one of the channel openings 104. The extendable arm 108 then extends the hand 109 and the stand 95 in the fifth direction towards the channel opening 104 to place the stand 95 within one of the channels 103. Once the stand 95 is placed in one of the channels 103 (i.e., the stand 95 is in the racked position), the hand 109 opens to disengage the stand 95 from the automatic stand transfer vehicle 86.

In another exemplary embodiment, the method 200 may be performed in reverse order when tripping in, or when placing the drill string 80 back into the wellbore 35, such as for example, after exchanging or replacing the drill bit 105, after exchanging or replacing a tool within the drill string 80, or before or after running tests in the wellbore 35. That is, the stands 95 are moved from the racked position to the in-line position, using the automatic stand transfer vehicle 86 and then lowered, using the lifting equipment 41, to the drilling position after being coupled to the drill string 80. In an exemplary embodiment, drilling the wellbore advances the stand 95 from the in-line position to the racked position. Moreover, the method 200 may be performed as described above, or in reverse order, while tripping in or out casing pipe.

In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 may be used make-up or break-down the drill string 80 using stand of at least four pipes. Accordingly, fewer connections are required when using quad stands (a stand of four pipes) in place of triple or double stands. With fewer connections required, the speed at which tripping can occur increases. In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 may increase efficiency during tripping activities (i.e., removing or replacing the drill string 80 from the wellbore 35). In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 may reduce drill string 80 make up time and break down time by days, thereby increasing the number of wells that may be drilling each year. In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 may improve the condition of the wellbore 35 due to fewer breaks in circulation or at least reduce the deterioration of the condition of the wellbore 35. In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 eliminates the need for personnel to be located on the racking board 85 during tripping activities. In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 may increase the amount of time at which the travelling block 50 may travel at maximum speed with less interruption. In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 may result in an increased day rate.

The present disclosure introduces a method of operating a land-based drilling rig to drill a well having a wellbore, including: vertically assembling a drilling mast that has an assembled height greater than one hundred eighty feet; securing the drilling mast to a rig floor of the land-based drilling rig; securing a racking board at a location adjacent the drilling mast at a height greater than one hundred feet above the rig floor; drilling the wellbore under the rig floor with a drill string; lifting with lifting equipment coupled to the drilling mast, a stand of pipe forming a part of the drill string and having a stand length greater than one hundred feet, from a drilling position partially within the wellbore and partially above the rig floor to an in-line position above the wellbore and proximate the racking board; removing the stand of pipe from the drill string; and moving the stand of pipe, using an automated pipe handling tool, from the in-line position to a racked position so that the stand of pipe is accommodated within the racking board. In one aspect, the method also includes moving the stand of pipe from the racked position to the in-line position, using the automated pipe handling tool; attaching the stand of pipe to the drill string in the wellbore; and drilling the wellbore to advance the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the drilling position. In one aspect, the drilling mast includes a plurality of mast sections and is configured to be vertically assembled using the plurality of mast sections. In one aspect, the stand of pipe includes: a first section of pipe that is configured to be accommodated within the racking board; a second section of pipe having a top portion that is configured to be threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the first section of pipe; a third section of pipe having a top portion that is configured to be threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the second section of pipe; and a fourth section of pipe having a top portion that is configured to be threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the third section of pipe; wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth sections of pipe has a length greater than thirty-three feet. In one aspect, the automated pipe handling tool includes an arm coupled to a bearing plate that is coupled to a track that extends through the racking board; wherein the arm moves in a first direction and an opposing second direction along the track; wherein the bearing plate rotates in a third direction and an opposing fourth direction about the longitudinal axis of the bearing plate to rotate the arm in the third direction and the fourth direction; and wherein the arm extends in a fifth direction that is a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the bearing plate and retracts in an opposing sixth direction. In one aspect, the arm includes a first end that is coupled to the bearing plate and a hand that extends from an opposing second end of the arm; wherein the hand is configured to move from a closed position to engage the stand of pipe to an open position to disengage the stand of pipe; and wherein moving the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the racked position includes: extending the arm and the hand in the fifth direction towards the stand of pipe; closing the hand about an exterior surface of the stand of pipe; and retracting the arm in the sixth direction to guide the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the racked position. In one aspect, the automated pipe handling tool is operably connected to a controller located on the rig floor. In one aspect, moving the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the racked position includes remotely controlling the automated pipe handling tool from the rig floor using the controller.

The present disclosure introduces an apparatus that includes a drilling mast configured to be vertically assembled and coupled to a drilling floor of a drilling rig, the drilling mast having a height greater than one hundred eighty feet and configured to accommodate a top portion of a stand of pipe while the stand of pipe is in a drilling position; a racking board coupled to the drilling mast and configured to accommodate the stand of pipe having a length greater than one hundred twenty feet; and an automated pipe handling tool coupled to the racking board and configured to move the stand of pipe from an in-line position to a racked position in the racking board; wherein when the stand of pipe is in the drilling position, the top portion of the stand of pipe is accommodated within the mast while a bottom portion of the stand of pipe extends within a wellbore located below the drilling mast; wherein when the stand of pipe is in the in-line position, the top portion of the stand of pipe is accommodated within the drilling mast at a location adjacent the automated pipe handling tool and the bottom portion of the stand of pipe extends above the drilling floor; and wherein when the stand of pipe is in the racked position, the top portion of the stand of pipe is accommodated within the racking board. In one aspect, the drilling mast includes: a top section to which lifting equipment is configured to be coupled; a first middle section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the top section; a second middle section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the first middle section; a third middle section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the second middle section; a fourth middle section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the third middle section; and a bottom section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the fourth middle section and having a bottom portion that is configured to be coupled to the rig floor. In one aspect, the top section has a height greater than fourteen feet; the first, second, third, and fourth middle sections have a height equal to or greater than thirty-three feet; and the bottom section has a height greater than thirty-four feet. In one aspect, the racking board is coupled to the second middle section. In one aspect, the stand of pipe includes: a first section of pipe; a second section of pipe having a top portion threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the first section of pipe; a third section of pipe having a top portion threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the second section of pipe; and a fourth section of pipe having a top portion threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the third section of pipe; wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth sections pipe has a length of greater than thirty feet. In one aspect, the automated pipe handling tool includes an arm coupled to a bearing plate that is coupled to a track that extends through the racking board; wherein the bearing plate and the arm are configured to move in a first direction and an opposing second direction along the track; wherein the bearing plate is configured to rotate in a third direction and an opposing fourth direction about the longitudinal axis of the bearing plate to rotate the arm in the third direction and the fourth direction; and wherein the arm is configured to extend in a fifth direction that is a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the bearing plate and to retract in an opposing sixth direction. In one aspect, the arm includes a first end that is coupled to the bearing plate and a hand that extends from an opposing second end of the arm; wherein the hand is configured to move from an open position to a closed position about an exterior surface of the stand of pipe thereby engaging the stand of pipe; wherein the arm is configured to extend the hand in the fifth direction towards the stand of pipe when the stand of pipe is in the in-line position; wherein the hand is configured to engage the stand of pipe when the stand of pipe is in the in-line position; wherein the arm is configured to retract the hand and the stand of pipe in the sixth direction; wherein the arm is configured to move in the first direction and the second direction to align the stand of pipe with an opening in the racking board; wherein the arm is configured to rotate in the third direction or the fourth direction to align the hand and the stand of pipe with the opening in the racking board; and wherein the arm is configured to extend the hand and the stand of pipe in the fifth direction to position the stand of pipe within the opening in the racking board. In one aspect, the automated pipe handling tool is operably connected to a controller located on the rig floor. In one aspect, the controller is configured to control the automated pipe handling tool to move the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the racked position. In one aspect, the drilling mast configured to be vertically assembled includes: a bottom section forming a support landing, the bottom section configured to be coupled to the rig floor; a top section configured to be positioned on the support landing of the bottom section, the top section configured to be coupled to a first middle section; and the first middle section configured to be coupled to the top section while the top section is positioned on the support landing; wherein the top section and the first middle section are configured to be raised relative to the bottom section so that the first middle section is positioned on the support landing of the bottom section.

The present disclosure introduces a method of operating a land-based drilling rig to drill a well having a wellbore, including: vertically assembling a drilling mast that has an assembled height greater than one hundred eighty feet; securing the drilling mast to a rig floor of the land-based drilling rig; securing a racking board at a location adjacent the drilling mast at a height greater than one hundred feet above the rig floor; moving a tubular stand from a racked position to an in-line position above a wellbore using an automated pipe handling tool, the stand of pipe having a stand length greater than one hundred feet; attaching the tubular stand to a drill string in the wellbore; and drilling the wellbore to advance the tubular stand to a position at least partially within the wellbore and partially above the rig floor. In one aspect, the tubular stand includes at least two connected drill pipes, each of the drill pipes having a length greater than about thirty feet.

In several exemplary embodiments, the elements and teachings of the various illustrative exemplary embodiments may be combined in whole or in part in some or all of the illustrative exemplary embodiments. In addition, one or more of the elements and teachings of the various illustrative exemplary embodiments may be omitted, at least in part, and/or combined, at least in part, with one or more of the other elements and teachings of the various illustrative embodiments.

Any spatial references such as, for example, “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” “between,” “bottom,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “angular,” “upwards,” “downwards,” “side-to-side,” “left-to-right,” “right-to-left,” “top-to-bottom,” “bottom-to-top,” “top,” “bottom,” “bottom-up,” “top-down,” etc., are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the specific orientation or location of the structure described above.

In several exemplary embodiments, while different steps, processes, and procedures are described as appearing as distinct acts, one or more of the steps, one or more of the processes, and/or one or more of the procedures may also be performed in different orders, simultaneously and/or sequentially. In several exemplary embodiments, the steps, processes and/or procedures may be merged into one or more steps, processes and/or procedures.

In several exemplary embodiments, one or more of the operational steps in each embodiment may be omitted. Moreover, in some instances, some features of the present disclosure may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Moreover, one or more of the above-described embodiments and/or variations may be combined in whole or in part with any one or more of the other above-described embodiments and/or variations.

Although several exemplary embodiments have been described in detail above, the embodiments described are exemplary only and are not limiting, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many other modifications, changes and/or substitutions are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications, changes and/or substitutions are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, any means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.

The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that a person of ordinary skill in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Such features may be replaced by any one of numerous equivalent alternatives, only some of which are disclosed herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

The Abstract at the end of this disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Moreover, it is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6 for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the word “means” together with an associated function. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating a land-based drilling rig to drill a well having a wellbore, comprising: vertically assembling a drilling mast that has an assembled height greater than one hundred eighty feet; securing the drilling mast to a rig floor of the land-based drilling rig; securing a racking board at a location adjacent the drilling mast at a height greater than one hundred feet above the rig floor; drilling the wellbore under the rig floor with a drill string; lifting with lifting equipment coupled to the drilling mast, a stand of pipe forming a part of the drill string and having a stand length greater than one hundred feet, from a drilling position partially within the wellbore and partially above the rig floor to an in-line position above the wellbore and proximate the racking board; removing the stand of pipe from the drill string; and moving the stand of pipe, using an automated pipe handling tool, from the in-line position to a racked position so that the stand of pipe is accommodated within the racking board.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: moving the stand of pipe from the racked position to the in-line position, using the automated pipe handling tool; attaching the stand of pipe to the drill string in the wellbore; and drilling the wellbore to advance the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the drilling position.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the drilling mast comprises a plurality of mast sections and is configured to be vertically assembled using the plurality of mast sections.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the stand of pipe comprises: a first section of pipe that is configured to be accommodated within the racking board; a second section of pipe having a top portion that is configured to be threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the first section of pipe; a third section of pipe having a top portion that is configured to be threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the second section of pipe; and a fourth section of pipe having a top portion that is configured to be threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the third section of pipe; wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth sections of pipe has a length greater than thirty-three feet.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the automated pipe handling tool comprises an arm coupled to a bearing plate that is coupled to a track that extends through the racking board; wherein the arm moves in a first direction and an opposing second direction along the track; wherein the bearing plate rotates in a third direction and an opposing fourth direction about the longitudinal axis of the bearing plate to rotate the arm in the third direction and the fourth direction; and wherein the arm extends in a fifth direction that is a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the bearing plate and retracts in an opposing sixth direction.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the arm comprises a first end that is coupled to the bearing plate and a hand that extends from an opposing second end of the arm; wherein the hand is configured to move from a closed position to engage the stand of pipe to an open position to disengage the stand of pipe; and wherein moving the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the racked position comprises: extending the arm and the hand in the fifth direction towards the stand of pipe; closing the hand about an exterior surface of the stand of pipe; and retracting the arm in the sixth direction to guide the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the racked position.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the automated pipe handling tool is operably connected to a controller located on the rig floor.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein moving the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the racked position comprises remotely controlling the automated pipe handling tool from the rig floor using the controller.
 9. A land-based drilling rig apparatus comprising: a drilling mast configured to be vertically assembled and coupled to a drilling floor of a drilling rig, the drilling mast having a height greater than one hundred eighty feet and configured to accommodate a top portion of a stand of pipe while the stand of pipe is in a drilling position; a racking board coupled to the drilling mast and configured to accommodate the stand of pipe having a length greater than one hundred twenty feet; and an automated pipe handling tool coupled to the racking board and configured to move the stand of pipe from an in-line position to a racked position in the racking board; wherein when the stand of pipe is in the drilling position, the top portion of the stand of pipe is accommodated within the mast while a bottom portion of the stand of pipe extends within a wellbore located below the drilling mast; wherein when the stand of pipe is in the in-line position, the top portion of the stand of pipe is accommodated within the drilling mast at a location adjacent the automated pipe handling tool and the bottom portion of the stand of pipe extends above the drilling floor; and wherein when the stand of pipe is in the racked position, the top portion of the stand of pipe is accommodated within the racking board.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the drilling mast comprises: a top section to which lifting equipment is configured to be coupled; a first middle section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the top section; a second middle section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the first middle section; a third middle section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the second middle section; a fourth middle section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the third middle section; and a bottom section having a top portion that is configured to be coupled to a bottom portion of the fourth middle section and having a bottom portion that is configured to be coupled to the rig floor.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein: the top section has a height greater than fourteen feet; the first, second, third, and fourth middle sections have a height equal to or greater than thirty-three feet; and the bottom section has a height greater than thirty-four feet.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the racking board is coupled to the second middle section.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the stand of pipe comprises: a first section of pipe; a second section of pipe having a top portion threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the first section of pipe; a third section of pipe having a top portion threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the second section of pipe; and a fourth section of pipe having a top portion threadably engaged to a bottom portion of the third section of pipe; wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth sections pipe has a length of greater than thirty feet.
 14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the automated pipe handling tool comprises an arm coupled to a bearing plate that is coupled to a track that extends through the racking board; wherein the bearing plate and the arm are configured to move in a first direction and an opposing second direction along the track; wherein the bearing plate is configured to rotate in a third direction and an opposing fourth direction about the longitudinal axis of the bearing plate to rotate the arm in the third direction and the fourth direction; and wherein the arm is configured to extend in a fifth direction that is a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the bearing plate and to retract in an opposing sixth direction.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the arm comprises a first end that is coupled to the bearing plate and a hand that extends from an opposing second end of the arm; wherein the hand is configured to move from an open position to a closed position about an exterior surface of the stand of pipe thereby engaging the stand of pipe; wherein the arm is configured to extend the hand in the fifth direction towards the stand of pipe when the stand of pipe is in the in-line position; wherein the hand is configured to engage the stand of pipe when the stand of pipe is in the in-line position; wherein the arm is configured to retract the hand and the stand of pipe in the sixth direction; wherein the arm is configured to move in the first direction and the second direction to align the stand of pipe with an opening in the racking board; wherein the arm is configured to rotate in the third direction or the fourth direction to align the hand and the stand of pipe with the opening in the racking board; and wherein the arm is configured to extend the hand and the stand of pipe in the fifth direction to position the stand of pipe within the opening in the racking board.
 16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the automated pipe handling tool is operably connected to a controller located on the rig floor.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller is configured to control the automated pipe handling tool to move the stand of pipe from the in-line position to the racked position.
 18. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the drilling mast configured to be vertically assembled comprises: a bottom section forming a support landing, the bottom section configured to be coupled to the rig floor; a top section configured to be positioned on the support landing of the bottom section, the top section configured to be coupled to a first middle section; and the first middle section configured to be coupled to the top section while the top section is positioned on the support landing; wherein the top section and the first middle section are configured to be raised relative to the bottom section so that the first middle section is positioned on the support landing of the bottom section.
 19. A method of operating a land-based drilling rig to drill a well having a wellbore, comprising: vertically assembling a drilling mast that has an assembled height greater than one hundred eighty feet; securing the drilling mast to a rig floor of the land-based drilling rig; securing a racking board at a location adjacent the drilling mast at a height greater than one hundred feet above the rig floor; moving a tubular stand from a racked position to an in-line position above a wellbore using an automated pipe handling tool, the stand of pipe having a stand length greater than one hundred feet; attaching the tubular stand to a drill string in the wellbore; and drilling the wellbore to advance the tubular stand to a position at least partially within the wellbore and partially above the rig floor.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the tubular stand comprises at least two connected drill pipes, each of the drill pipes having a length greater than about thirty feet. 